


the butterfly effect

by efreet



Category: End Roll (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, Implied/Referenced Animal Death, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-16
Updated: 2016-10-16
Packaged: 2018-08-22 19:32:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8297686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/efreet/pseuds/efreet
Summary: Tabasa saves a rabbit, and maybe something more.





	

**Author's Note:**

> you know i wrote a lot of notes for this and then they all got lost. its okay. anyway this is based off the rabbit dungeon you can access near gardenia's house on day 5. if they mention russell's age or the rabbit's name in there... i'm sorry. i made them up.

Tabasa sees the rabbit and moves without thinking. It’s so small, huddled in the middle of the road, a streak of white against the dark asphalt. Thankfully, the street is empty. It’s not a very populated neighborhood, but he can hear the rumble of traffic in the distance, coming ever closer. Tabasa steps off the sidewalk and runs for it.

Just as he scoops the tiny thing into his arms, he hears the horn. He doesn’t have time to do anything but squint into the sudden glare of the headlights before the truck screeches to a stop only a few feet from where he’s standing. 

The rabbit wriggles in his arms, and Tabasa loosens his hold on it just enough to let it sit more comfortably. He hadn’t realized he had been gripping the poor animal so tightly in his shock. The lights of the truck are almost blinding, and Tabasa takes a few shaky steps backward, trying to distance himself from the thing. 

The driver leans out of the truck’s window, a glare on his surly face. “What the fuck are you doing?” the guy demands, honking on the horn for emphasis. “Get out of the road!”

The rabbit flinches at the onslaught of noise. Numbly, Tabasa stumbles off to the other side of the street, and the truck takes off immediately. 

Tabasa all but collapses onto the sidewalk as the rabbit twitches its ears unhappily. Tabasa strokes it’s fur comfortingly, but it doesn’t seem to appreciate the attention. He wouldn’t either, given the situation, but he can’t just let the rabbit go without finding a safe place first.

“That’s mine,” says a quiet voice, and Tabasa looks around. 

There’s a child standing beside him. The boy doesn’t look older than about seven or eight, though his somber expression looks like it belongs on someone much older. His blond hair is so long in the front it nearly covers his eyes. 

Tabasa stares. The last of the shock from his near-death experience is wearing off, but he’s having trouble processing exactly what the boy means. Then he looks down at the rabbit in his arms, and back at the boy.

“Oh. You mean, um, the rabbit?” Tabasa asks, hefting the little one so it’s facing the boy.

The child nods. “You saved him from the truck,” he says, and it’s clear from the boy’s tone that this comes as a surprise. 

“Yeah, well,” Tabasa would fidget if he wasn’t holding a rabbit in his arms. “I couldn’t just leave him in the street, you know?” He takes a step toward the child and holds out the rabbit. “Here you go, kid,”

The boy holds out his arms and Tabasa gently places the rabbit in his grasp. As soon as Tabasa lets go, the boy cuddles the rabbit close to his chest, burying his face in the soft fur.

Tabasa smiles. “Be careful about letting him out, next time,” he reminds the boy, trying not to sound like he’s scolding. It probably wasn’t the kid’s fault, but he doesn’t want anything like that to happen again.

The boy looks up from the rabbit, an unreadable expression on his small face. “He likes being outside,” he says quietly. “And Mom and Dad don’t like him in the house. They say he’s noisy and dirty. He chews on things, too. They want me to keep in his cage all the time,” With this, the boy’s mouth snaps shut, as if he’s said too much.

Tabasa chooses his next words carefully. “You know, I had a rabbit when I was younger, too,” he says. “My parents didn’t like those things either. But you’re right. It’s important that they get outside and exercise,”

The boy’s expression changes almost imperceptibly, but Tabasa can still see that he’s surprised. 

“Tell you what,” says Tabasa, and he kneels down a little so he can look the kid in the eye. He doesn’t want to overstep, but, well. He’s gotta try.  “Maybe next time, I can help you find a safe place to let him out?” 

The kid frowns, and inches a tiny step backward. “Why?” he asks suspiciously.

“Well… ‘Cause I really like animals, I guess?” Tabasa offers. He kind of feels like he’s taking a pop quiz or something. “And I’d hate it if the little guy was cooped up all the time. It’s not healthy for rabbits, even little ones,” 

The boy gives him a long look, before nodding almost imperceptibly. “...You saved him,” he says. “So... I guess it’s okay,”

Tabasa smiles. “So, what’s his name?”

The boy looks down at the rabbit in his arms and mumbles something.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch that,” 

“...His name’s Bunny,” the boy mutters, not looking at Tabasa. Although his face doesn’t show it, it’s obvious he’s a little embarrassed. 

Tabasa doesn’t laugh, but it’s a close thing. “That’s a good name,” he says honestly. “And how about you?”

The boy hesitates for a long moment, searching Tabasa’s expression with serious eyes. Whatever the boy finds there, it seems to be enough. “...Russell,” he says finally. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Russell,” Tabasa says, and he grins.

Holding the rabbit in his arms close, Russell gives him the tiniest of smiles back.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> this fic was mostly inspired by the fact that u can bring tabasa to the rabbit dungeon and he says he used to have a pet rabbit when he was younger. that's so cute.


End file.
